|
 This is the first of two issues of the Inside Job for July. We are trying a new format - bimonthly issues of Inside Job alternating weeks with issues of the FWC Update. We hope this will help keep the Inside Job compact and readable so all the good work our staff does can be appreciated. The second issue will publish July 18 and the deadline for submissions is COB Monday, July 11. (An easy way to remember the submission deadline is the day you receive your FWC Update is the deadline day.)
If you or someone you know doesn't receive the Inside Job, contact Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC. This is an internally maintained mailing list so you can't self-subscribe, you must be manually added by a GovDelivery administrator.
View this as a webpage
 The next Commission meeting will be July 13-14 in Jacksonville. Follow along with live video coverage at TheFloridaChannel.org.
On the masthead: HSC’s McKayla Spencer and Jan Fore pose for a picture during a python safe handling demonstration.
 On June 16, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined in south Florida by representatives from the FWC, the South Florida Water Management District, and Everglades National Park, as well as a 10-foot Burmese python, as he announced the dates for the 2022 Florida Python Challenge®. Six media outlets were in attendance and, within the first 24 hours after the announcement, over 45 news stories had been published featuring this year’s Florida Python Challenge®. The highly successful media event was made possible thanks to the great collaboration, organization and planning of staff across the FWC, including HSC, LE, CR and OED.
 The Florida Python Challenge®, which runs August 5-14 this year, typically draws hundreds of participants from across the country to help curb the spread of this highly invasive predator throughout the region.
The nonnative Burmese python has put native wildlife in the Everglades under intense pressure in recent decades. Pythons there benefit from no natural predators and abundant food sources in the form of birds, mammals and other reptiles, while females lay as many as 50-100 eggs at once to fuel the species’ growth.
As part of the state’s effort to combat this problem, the FWC partners with Governor DeSantis and the South Florida Water Management District for the Florida Python Challenge®. The event promotes Everglades conservation by offering thousands of dollars in cash prizes to registered participants and raises awareness of what steps people can take to help. Last year’s event saw 223 pythons taken out of the wild, up more than double from the previous year’s competition, with the Ultimate Grand Prize going to an amateur hunter.
Visit FLPythonChallenge.org to learn more.
 FWC Biologist Diane Alix extracting 6- and 7-day-old nestlings to band them for identification purposes.
It’s a busy time for biologists in Tate’s Hell Wildlife Management Area. One of the big projects they’re working on is banding and tracking federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker nestlings to monitor population trends.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are cooperative breeders. A potential breeding group is comprised of a breeding pair and helpers. Helpers are often offspring from the pair that remain on-site to help raise future young. As of 2018, Florida supports about 30% of total monitored potential breeding groups across their range. The RCW was placed on the federal endangered species list in 1970 because of population declines resulting from habitat destruction and fire suppression.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers make their nest cavities in living pine trees. They excavate the cavities over time, often taking years to complete. They also get help from FWC biologists who install human-made cavities into select trees in order to boost available nesting and roosting trees.
Banded nestling.
|
|
  After two weeks in the field, FWRI seagrass scientists have completed their annual monitoring of benthic macrophyte communities in Florida Bay. Together with collaborators from University of North Carolina at Wilmington, they visited 19 basins and 15 permanent transects, sampled 518 stations and assessed the coverage of seagrass and macroalgae at more than 4,150 locations. It will be some time before these data are analyzed but preliminary findings suggest continued recovery from the seagrass die-off of 2015 and Hurricane Irma (2017). These data are part of the Monitoring and Assessment Plan of RECOVER (Restoration, Coordination and Verification) within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan and will be used to inform water management decisions that affect south Florida.
  
 A Chinese tallow tree two weeks post girdling.
On Fisheating Creek WMA in the South Region, invasive plants present a huge threat to native fish, wildlife and plants. Early detection and rapid response is the best way to eradicate newly introduced species before they become serious threats. Chinese tallow tree is a common invasive tree throughout the southeastern U.S. However, it had not yet been previously documented in Glades County since it typically prefers a temperate climate, not subtropical.
 Four weeks post basal bark treatment.
Recently, tallow trees have been spotted in several areas throughout the WMA. Employees are working to respond quickly to these trees so that they do not get established and spread further. Multiple treatment methods are being applied to the various groups of trees to determine the most effective treatment method for this area. By experimenting, they can find the most effective and time-efficient treatment method. So far, plots have included: basal bark treatments with Garlon 4 mixed at 20%, cut stump and girdle treatments with Milestone mixed at 10% and hack-n-squirt treatments with Method 240SL mixed at 50%.
 Four weeks post cut stump.
Clay Bliznick, Brandon Dodge and Carrie Kimbrough have been working diligently to eliminate this threat to the floodplain marsh surrounding Fisheating Creek where these tallow trees have spread. Pictures show one month post basal bark and cut stump, two weeks post girdle treatments and Brandon Dodge treating with hack-n-squirt treatment. Plots will be continuously monitored to determine the most successful treatment. This is a warning to show that just because an invasive has not yet been documented in an area, doesn’t mean it can’t pop up over time. Always stay vigilant to new threats from invasive species.
 Above: Brandon Dodge treating the tree with hack-n-squirt. Below: Known distribution of Chinese tallow trees in Florida.
|
|
 Spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata) are one of North America’s smallest turtles. Considered in decline, they have a broad latitudinal distribution stretching from southern Canada to northern Florida. It’s known freshwater turtles vary in body size, clutch size and frequency based on latitude, and these traits are often directly related, with larger turtles producing larger clutches.
 Scientists studied spotted turtle populations in the coastal plain of southeastern Georgia and northern Florida. Results showed the annual reproductive output in southern spotted turtle populations can exceed that of northern populations, indicating multiple clutching as an important adaptation for southern spotted turtle populations to potentially compensate for small body sizes by increasing the overall annual reproductive output to a similar or even higher level than what is observed in northern populations with larger individuals.
FWC relies on peer-reviewed science for its management; access this full publication.
|
|
 FWC Coastal Wetlands researchers and partners at Florida Oceanographic Society and Florida International University have been monitoring mangrove forests in Jensen Beach and Oleta River State Park. Flooding following Hurricane Irma caused mangrove mortality events at these sites as the forests were flooded for several weeks due to blocked tidal flow caused by surrounding roads and impoundments. Mangroves prefer to be flooded at high tide but need the water to recede at low tide. When the water doesn’t recede, mangrove tree roots can die due to lack of oxygen. FWC and partners at Martin County Public Works and Florida State Parks are installing culverts to improve water flow to the recovering mangrove forests through funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Learn more about current Coastal Wetlands Habitat projects: myfwc.com/research/habitat/coastal-wetlands/projects/
 
From Andrea Alden, HSC
The Wildlife Diversity Conservation Section within HSC would like your input on new, draft State Wildlife Action Plan Implementation Goals. Funding from the federal State Wildlife Grants program is used to implement the State Wildlife Action Plan and address priority threats and actions for the state’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need. The Implementation Goals help guide our use of these funds by setting goals and measurable objectives for implementing the State Wildlife Action Plan. Implementation Goals are revised every five years, and the new goals will guide implementation for the next five State Wildlife Grant funding cycles, with the first cohort of projects beginning in 2024. Regular updates to the goals allow for integration of new information, evaluation of priorities and opportunity to engage with partners, both internal and external.
To provide feedback or for questions regarding additional information, please contact Andrea.Alden@MyFWC.com.
|
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION GOALS FOR FLORIDA’S STATE WILDLIFE ACTION PLAN
Ecosystem Quality, Extent, and Connectivity
Goal: Improve the quality, extent, and connectivity of Florida’s ecosystems for the benefit of Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Objective 1: Complete 5 research, monitoring, or coordination projects that improve the management of focal areas.
Objective 2: Complete improvements on lands and in waters directly or indirectly affecting focal areas, including:
I. 100,000 acres of prescribed fire or fire-related management activities.
II. 1,000 acres of riparian, wetland, and adjacent buffer habitat improvements.
III. 3,000 linear feet of shoreline-related and riparian improvements.
Focal areas include those identified by regional landscape conservation efforts (e.g. Connect, Collaborate, Conserve [C3]), regional assessments, the State Wildlife Action Plan, and/or priority habitat of sandhill, scrub, pine rockland, forested and non-forested wetlands, rivers and streams, and intertidal (mangrove, oyster reefs, salt marshes, tidal flats).
Species Viability and Resilience
Goal: Improve the viability or resilience of Species of Greatest Conservation Need through informed management action that supports implementation of landscape conservation.
Objective 1: Conduct research, monitoring, or coordination efforts that can be applied to improve the management of at least 8 SGCN.
Objective 2: Implement management projects that increase populations (locally or statewide) or address threats of at least 8 SGCN.
|
|
|
|
  Peer Perspective Program
Monica Bryant and Patricia Brown
The Peer Perspectives Program is a new opportunity for FWC staff members to meet and learn from each other while gathering information about how we can improve morale in our agency. This program is designed to pair Resource Ambassadors with staff members chosen from different regions and different divisions.
What did you learn about your job shadow match?
Patricia: I was paired up with Monica Bryant, Resource Ambassador for the Peer Perspectives Program. I was eager to be part of this program and learn about Monica’s job.
Monica has been an FWC employee for a while and likes working with the many different divisions the agency has. We talked about family and her husband. We laughed and shared some of our best memories. I was able to speak freely about my likes and dislikes of the agency. My opinions were listened to, and I felt more connected to the FWC family. Monica and I email now to say hi and find out how we are doing since being part of this program.
Monica: I learned from my shadow match that there’s employees within FWC that really enjoy working with the public. I was partnered with Patricia Brown, who’s an Education Specialist with the Office of Strategic Initiatives. She loves educating and molding the minds of the young.
We both love working with FWC.
Would you recommend this program to others?
Patricia: I would recommend this program. I especially liked that we were paired with someone from a different part of the agency. I believe in the on-boarding program, too. Our agency is large with so many diverse jobs and this program can bring the divisions together by learning what each of us does to promote the mission of FWC.
Monica: I encourage others to become Peer Perspective Ambassadors.
  The Gulf Council awarded the FWC’s southwest offshore patrol crew the 2022 Team of the Year award. This award recognizes a team that has exemplified professionalism while enforcing fisheries regulations in the federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico through public outreach, partnerships and leadership.
The Gulf Sentry crew consists of Lt. George Wells, Officer Specialists Reece Alvis and Tom Godfrey, and Officer Ed Prouty. This past year, the squad patrolled from Panama City all the way to Key West and participated in several details including mini lobster season. The team has proven highly efficient and consistently visits fish houses and works with industry representatives to improve compliance and conservation of marine resources. The officers consistently demonstrate a great commitment to Florida and are a leader among other FWC teams through their positive attitude, expertise and work ethic.
  Citizens and FWC customers were so impressed by the following employees, they told us about it through email on the "Praise an Employee" page of MyFWC.com/Contact. When your coworkers receive kudos, help share the good news by contacting Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC.com.
Mark Lotz, HSC
Writes Mark: It’s hard to measure the effectiveness of outreach efforts and it seems rare to be praised for those efforts. So I thought I would share a text I received from Penny Maldonado, Executive Director of The Cougar Fund CougarFund.org. It’s nice to hear good news like this and that our efforts are having an impact. Kudos to past Panther Outreach Specialists, everyone who’s given a talk or interview, and our social media teams.
Morning Mark. It's summer here in the Tetons and I'm doing a ton of programming with our visitors. I just wanted you to know what an amazing job you are doing with outreach about the Florida panther. Every Floridian at my presentations or one-on-one interactions is so incredibly knowledgeable about the challenges your cats are facing. I understand that demographically these people may be seeking more information than the average citizen but they are definitely interested, observant, and care about the panthers and the work being done there. Thought I'd let you know
Monica Bryant, CR
Was a pleasure to speak to very helpful and knowledgeable. We need more people like Mrs. Bryant in the workplace especially in the hard times, when people have a bad taste in their mouth to deal with the government.
McKayla Spencer, HSC
Mckayla recently did a python handler training for the Native American Fish and Wildlife Society held at the Miccosukee Resort. She did an amazing job at the training and interacting with conservation law enforcement officers from around the nation. She was knowledgeable and professional in her conduct.
Cindy Whittington, L&P
My wife was overcharged as a non-resident for the alligator hunt. I've called over the past two weeks to try and get this resolved. Everyone said they know they have an issue and don't know what to do but have someone call me back. I'm currently waiting on hold to see if a Miss Cindy is available to talk with me. She is the one everyone says knows what to do. Update, as I'm typing this I was able to finally talk with her. I now know why they said she was the one to talk to. She was very professional and said she would try and take care of it and get back with me. I decided to go ahead and send this just in case I need to follow up. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope this issue will be resolved. If so, I hope you get more employees like her.
Tony Young, HGM (three commendations)
Was a pleasure to speak to very helpful and knowledgeable. We need more people like Mr. Young in the workplace, especially in the hard times when people have a bad taste in their mouth to deal with the government.
Tony took his time to look into a permit I was selected for and answered all my questions thoroughly. He was extremely helpful. Being a new hunter, I have many questions and often need assistance navigating rules for certain hunts and locations. He did his best to guide me through this specific permit. Thank you, Tony!
i was recently questioned by two off-duty police officers while I was putting in to a lake with a .22 rifle and my kayak. I was approached and asked for my ID and told not to leave until they figured it out. I told them they had phones and the world's information at their fingertips and continued on my way. I then was told it was fine if I left because they saw the truck I was in and I would have to come back for it -- that move lead me to believe they were fishing (no pun intended) for something/someone. I said I would be back with the bullfrogs I'm going after. I left and called Tony Young who was driving and pulled over to send info so it was on my phone. I appreciate it and find it refreshing to speak to a human! I enjoy my rights and exercise them whenever possible and encourage others to do the same. Now I'm going to fry my frog legs. Thanks for the help and give the man a raise.
 Congratulations to the following employees for reaching 5-year milestones of employment with the FWC.
|
|
15 Years
Bambi Clemons, FWRI
Marc Criffield, FWRI
Ryan Hamm, FFM
Tracy Peters, HSC
10 Years
Ryan Campbell, LE
Rob Creswell, HSC
Richard Hockett, LE
Tyson Matthews, LE
Michael Morrison, LE
Justin Pifer, LE
Robert Ramos, LE
Marcus Reith, LE
Christopher Ryan, LE
Scott Sumpter, LE
Donald Vacin, LE
|
5 Years
Gail Hall, LE
John McConnell, LE
Steven McKinley, LE
Jocef Santiago, IT
Leonardo Villar, OSI
Retired!
Torrevio Green, LE – 38 Years
Ronald Bielefeld, FWRI – 27 Years
Magda Soliman, HSC – 20 Years
Officer Don Walker, LE – 18 Years, 3 Months
|
|
(The FWC has a great many non-FTE employees, and they deserve recognition for reaching 5-year milestones too. Unfortunately, the system doesn't keep track of such statistics; but we don't want that to stop us. If you know of a non-FTE employee about to reach a 5-year milestone, please notify the Inside Job by email.) |
|
|
FWC employees have some of the most interesting jobs ever! Here are some of our employees doing what they do best. Send your photos of FWC employees in the office and in the field to Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC.com.
|
 Wildlife biologists, Matt Miller (Babcock Webb WMA) and Kelly McNutt (Babcock Ranch), have had success this year with increasing numbers of red-cockaded woodpeckers. Numbers are still coming in and counts are not complete for this year yet, but the number of active clusters and potential breeding groups are rising. With passionate and dedicated biologists like Matt and Kelly and the crew that helps them out on occasion, we are seeing the RCW’s continue to thrive on Webb and the Ranch. The attached photo is of two female chicks on the day they were banded. The same two chicks were photographed during a fledge check.
 Wade Brenner reviews proper maintenance of skid steer mower and how to exit in the event of an emergency.
 Robert Crawford goes over proper techniques for securing equipment to trailers and transports, including a crawler tractor on a transport truck.
 Storm Wittenberg demonstrates proper use of a fire extinguisher.
 Jason Slater talks about snake identification and first aid.
 Rebecca Brown goes over safety while working around cattle. Several WMAs have active cattle leases where staff must work around cattle and ensure gates are secured.
 Lauren Akins and Rebecca Brown practice CPR and AED operation to complete certification.
 Jason Slater shares the proper operation of a CO2 operated chemical immobilization dart projector with Storm Wittenberg.
 Officer Miros Petru had a fillet case with 42 fillets.
 Officer David Moschiano and Lt. Kevin Balfour had an over-the-limit and undersize red fish case.
 Officer Miros Petru represented the FWC during the final leg of the Special Olympics Torch Run.
 
 The FWC participated in the Polk County annual fishing event with Sheriff Grady Judd. Officers J. Adams, J. Gadd, J. Carter, H. Jeffery, H. Mitchell, V. Fiaramanti, F. Rothchild, Lt. J. Cloud, Capt. T. Bontrager, Mat Stevens and Davis Todd were in attendance.
 
 FWC and Bass Pro recognized William Dunn from “Take a Kid Fishing” for trade-in program, with FWC Mat Stevens and Officer F. Rothchild.
 FWC TrophyCatch and Bass Pro Shops award the first catch of the 2022 10-Tag Program. FWC Commissioner Gary Lester and FWF Director Thomas Graef award the winner.
 Officer Specialist R. Alvis searches for identification markers on a derelict vessel.
 Officer J. Criswell attends a joint training with the Tampa Police Department Marine Unit.
 A workshop held in St. Petersburg regarding potential changes for redfish was attended by Nancy Sheridan, Gina Ruso, Meagan Schrandt, Kerry Walia and Officer T. Georgevich.
Regional Director Allie McCue, Lt. Kevin Balfour and Biologist Kyle Brown, walking a concerned property in Pasco County.
 A two-day officer specialist training in Wildlife Identification.
 Bass fishing derby in Carrollwood with Mat Stevens and Davis Todd.
 Kid's Fishing Clinic at Picnic Island with Gina Ruso and Officer Specialist H. Caldwell, joined by Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.
 SW regional dive team training underwater navigation and practicing for their Dive Master rating: Officers K. Grenz, R. Klobuchar, J. Burks, A. Gonzales, F. Rothchild, Investigator J. Buckson.
 Promotional pinning ceremony for Capt. Matt Dallarosa and Lt. James Pettifer, accompanied by Major R. Rowe and Colonel R. Young
 Officer D. Moschiano at an outreach event in Pasco County.
 K-9 Officer M. Wilkins, Officer Specialist R. Alvis and Capt. Dallarosa deliver information about the importance of prosecuting BUI offenses to the Hillsborough SAO.
 HSC – WHM Biologist Tiffany Mobley prepares to “noose” red-cockaded woodpecker nestlings out of their cavity on Citrus WMA so she can take biological measurements and leg band them.
 An adult RCW with a meal for one of its nestlings.
 WHM Biologist Pete Helmuth bands a RCW nestling.
 Southwest Region’s Officer Rick Klobuchar, while on patrol near the South Skyway Fishing Pier in Manatee County, stopped a subject for illegally spearfishing. Upon further investigation, Officer Klobuchar found the subject was in possession of six speared common snook. All six snook were between 18.5 and 22.5 inches in length. The subject was cited for possession of snook during closed season, undersize snook, over the legal bag limit and illegal method of take.
 Southwest Region Officers conducted a targeted enforcement detail to coincide with the opening of red snapper season in the Gulf of Mexico. Fifty-three FWC officers from five counties worked with partners from numerous municipal, county and federal agencies to focus on recreational and commercial resource enforcement. During the 2-day detail, 102 vessels were inspected across five counties. Twelve federal citations/referrals, 17 state criminal citations and 18 warnings were issued for violations. Five search and rescue operations were conducted during this detail as well.
 Southwest Region’s Capt. Lonnie Sushil and Capt. Guy Carpenter attended a derelict vessel workshop at the latest Charlotte County Commission meeting in Port Charlotte. Capt. Sushil, along with partners from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the West Coast Inland Navigational District gave a presentation to commissioners about the derelict vessel program and provided details on the investigative and removal process. The presentation was very well received and commissioners are now better equipped to explain the process to their constituents.
|
|
The submission deadline for the next issue is Monday, July 11
The Inside Job is a bi-monthly newsletter featuring
the employees and programs of the FWC.
Send your submissions, comments and questions to Kelly.Broderick@MyFWC.com.
|
|
|
|
|
